Dope code must embrace all bodies if chaos is to be avoided

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HARDLY had the first signatures been put to the new world doping code when the first problem appeared. The three-day Copenhagen summit on doping ended with 65 sports federations and 73 national governments supporting the declaration, just as it was announced in Paris that Pieter de Villiers, the France rugby union prop forward, will escape punishment for a positive drugs test for cocaine.

The fact that France does not have a law against such a stimulant in an out-of-competition test shows how extensive will be the task ahead. Think of the difficulties in less-developed countries.